


Sometimes We Forgive

by KJTheWolf



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alec takes too much after Stiles, Damn impulsive boys, Derek and Stiles are Mates, Derek and Stiles have three kids, Derek is an asshole, Future Fic, Kid Fic, M/M, Miscommunication, Misery, Parent Derek and Stiles, Scott is a Good Friend, Swearing, but more Parent Stiles, really bad language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-17
Updated: 2013-08-17
Packaged: 2017-12-23 02:53:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/921151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KJTheWolf/pseuds/KJTheWolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Derek got overwhelmed when he and Stiles' third child came home. He never told anyone the reason he bolted as far as Stiles knows. But he did. The night after Stiles brought their daughter home, Derek left. There wasn't anything Stiles could find to explain it. But their oldest son had found the note his dad left for his papa and hid it. He knew his papa would be upset and didn't need the note to  make it worse. Unfortunately, much like his parents, he acted impulsively and might have just made everything worse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sometimes We Forgive

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Emotionless by Good Charlotte](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/25890) by http://www.youtube.com/user/Chronology07?feature=watch. 



_May 14, 2031_

_Hey Dad,_

_Papa told me if I ever got to talk to you again, to make it casual, easy. He told me to act as though you had gone on a business trip. There’s just a little problem, I know you haven’t. It’s been six years now, Dad. Ana’s starting kindergarten tomorrow. But I guess you don’t really know who Ana is. She’s my baby sister, Dad. That one that came home the night you left. John and I are doing well, in case you’re wondering. It’s tough, but you know, shit happens. Papa’s broken, of course. You know it isn’t everyday your mate leaves you with no reason why._

_But like Grandpa says, life goes on. John and I have been taking care of Ana lately. I know you and Papa's anniversary is coming up and he’s worse than usual. He’ll barely come out of his room. He barely eats. And it’s hard to remember the man who was my idol six years ago, making my papa feel this way. I know you were scared, Dad, and that’s why you left. I found the note. You were worried other packs would attack us? That’s the most pitiful fucking excuse I’ve ever heard. You WERE an amazing Alpha and Uncle Scott is a True Alpha. Beacon Hills was, and always will be, safe._

_You know, Papa always talks about how terrifying Uncle Peter was when you guys were younger. I don’t really see it; same with Aunt Lydia. They seem too nice to be terrifying. Of course, everything changes when someone gets hurt or John or I get in trouble in school. Have you heard the saying ‘It takes a village to raise a child’? Well I can say first hand it’s true. You know, leaving a ten year old, an eight year old and a newborn with a broken parent really makes the village come together to help raise them._

_If you can’t tell yet, I’m really slathering on the guilt. And I hope it hurts you. You don’t realize how many nights I’ve sat down with John or Ana or both of them and held them while they cried. There have been days where Papa can’t look at Ana, John or I without crying. Do you know how much that can hurt a kid? A whole damn lot, that’s how much. But you know you probably don’t give two shits about how many times we’ve gone to bed hungry or cold, or how many times I’ve heard my brother and sister cry themselves to sleep. Let alone the number of times I’ve cried myself to sleep._

_What you did was unforgiveable. But I’ll admit there are some days I find myself not blaming you for leaving. And then I take a look at my baby sister and brother and remember how much of an ass you are. So, yea, I just wanted to give my loving father, who is away on a business trip, a little heads up on what’s going on at home. Can’t wait to see you when you come home, you know. Have fun in New York. See you never, probably._

_Sincerely,_

_Your son, Alec Michael Hale-Stilinski_

Alec looked over the letter he had written to his dad. He had tucked the note his dad had left on the table those six years ago into his pillow case the minute he found it. His dad wrote he’d be going to New York, “just for a little while”, and Alec knew Aunt Cora lived there. That’s where Aunt Cora had gotten her job after college. So, the other day, Alec had finally gotten the courage to call her and ask if she knew where Dad was. As Alec suspected, he had moved in with her. She was reluctant to tell Alec, he could sense it even over the phone. But his dad needed to know what happened to his family since he left. And Aunt Cora told him she’d been trying to get him to go home since the first day. They both hoped the letter would spark something in Derek. They hoped it would spark something enough to get him to come home, once and for all.

                So, Alec ran one hand through his jet black hair as he drove with his little sister to the post office. Looking at the duo, you could see some family resemblance. She had the jet black hair, like him, and the straight slope nose, but she had their papa’s bright amber eyes unlike Alec’s green ones resembling their dad’s. Alec knew it had to be hard on Papa seeing him every day and how much he looked like Dad. He actually contemplated dying his hair once, but wasn’t sure if it would work because of his secret. All three children had developed the werewolf gene and their uncles and aunts had taught them how to control the shift and their emotions. Dad hadn’t been there when the time came that any of them began to shift. Sure Alec and John were shifting a bit at ten and eight but their dad had been so distance when it started that he never did anything to help. The boys typically turned to one of their uncles, Scott, Peter, Isaac, or Boyd, or one of their aunts, Cora or Erica, to question them on werewolf tendencies.

 

* * *

 

                It was three weeks after Alec had mailed the letter that Cora had found it in their P.O. Box. She knew her nephew’s handwriting like her own, even without a glance at the return address. A slight smile crept onto her lips when she saw it, knowing this might be the thing to send Derek back where he belongs. She raced home, hope shining to her for once.

                “Derek!” She called as soon as she opened the door and made her way to the kitchen.

                “What, Cora?” he yelled back. He hadn’t been as intimidating or as powerful since he moved to New York.

                “You have a letter, Der-bear.” She explained when he finally came into the kitchen.

                Derek looked at her, confused, because no one ever sent him letters. “From who?” He questioned, cautiously.

                “Why don’t you pick it up and see?” She suggested, pointing to the letter on the table.  Slowly, Derek picked up the letter and looked at the return address; _Hale-Stilinski, 43 Oak Ave. Beacon Hills, CA, 530._

                “Do you know who sent it?” He mumbled. Tears were stinging his eyes. Someone from his home had written him.

                “Alec. It was definitely Alec. I know his handwriting as well as I know mine.” She told him.

                Derek stared at the envelope, guilt burning into him before he’d even opened it. His son, his oldest son, wrote him. No doubt there would be hate laced with every word. It was written to the man who had left six years ago with no excuse besides fear. He feared parenthood when the boys began to shift. He feared being wrong. He feared screwing up his children. But most of all, he feared for their safety. They were undoubtedly safe in Beacon Hills, but Derek had a long track record of making something harmless into a monster and creating devastation. So he left. He left a short note in the kitchen and ran for his little sister in New York. He knew it was childish and wrong, but he was so impulsive he didn’t care. He just left.

                He clutched the letter in his hands and closed his eyes. “I’ll be in my room. Don’t come in for a little while, please?” He asked Cora, almost begging. Cora agreed, knowing he wanted to read the letter alone and be able to let him emotions out.

                Derek settled on his bed in his fairly bland room. He had a few pictures of Alec, John and Stiles on the walls farthest from him, because he’d want to cry every time he saw them. Crowding those, though, he had pictures of the pack. They were taken when Lydia showed him how to turn off the flash on his camera and his phone. Pictures of wolves worked fine as long as there was no flash. So, as long as there was no flash on the camera and they could document as many memories as they wanted.

                He stared at the letter in his hands for a few minutes, wondering if he really wanted to read it, contemplating if he really wanted to find out how much he had missed.  Eventually, he gave in and slid his finger under the flap, tearing it open.  His eyes dropped to the greeting and immediately, the tears he held back so forcefully fell. The causality of the greeting broke his heart. The mentions of Stiles and how much pain he was in brought forth aches he knew too well. Reading how his daughter was entering kindergarten, how his son idolized him, how their pack raised his children, how pathetic he was even to his son and how broken his husband was tore wounds worse than any other. It was the last line, though, that hit him the hardest. His son never expected to see him again. His son didn’t believe that Derek would ever come home. And yet, he still carried his last name. Maybe he did because he didn’t have a choice. But Stiles could have easily changed all their last names after he didn’t come home. But he didn’t, and that showed they still hoped that someday he would come home, just maybe.

                Derek didn’t wait for Cora to realize he was done reading the letter to get up from his bed. He was done. He was tired of being the loser father he is. He was going home. He was going to win back his pack, his children, and most of all, his husband. He never took his ring off. He never wanted their marriage to be over, ever. Hurriedly, Derek threw his clothes and possessions into random bags, not caring how they fit. He was going home. And he was going home as fast as he could.

 

* * *

 

It was ten hours later when Derek stepped back onto California soil. He was worried at the reaction of the pack when he showed up. Somewhat fortunately, Derek still had a two and a half hour drive to Beacon Hills. But pulling up to the house he and Stiles had bought sixteen years ago was heartbreaking. It looked, smelled, and still FELT like home. It smelled of Stiles, Alec, John, and the pack, with one other scent he assumed to be Ana’s. God thinking of Ana and the boys made his heart ache even more. He knew there was no chance he’d get in unknown. The boys were definitely wolves, but he didn’t know about Ana. Either way, he knew they knew he was here. It was Saturday, it’s not like they were in school. 

                Derek stepped out of the car and took a deep breath. He didn’t bother getting any of his things from the car. He was planning on staying at a hotel anyway. Once on the porch, he hesitated. Maybe he should wait until tomorrow. Or maybe he should just go back to New York. They probably don’t want him here anyway.

                “Papa, he’s here.” He heard one of the boys say.

                “Who, baby?” Stiles, no doubt, asked.

                “Him, Papa, him. You know who I mean.” The boy answered.

                “Did he knock or did your superpower tell you?” Stiles questioned with his always present humor.

                “The superpower, Papa.” The boy was no doubt rolling his eyes at this.

                “Well wait for him to knock. Then come get me, alright, J?” Stiles told him. It was John talking to Stiles. His little baby Johnny wouldn’t even speak his name.

                Derek raised his hand and knocked on the door softly. He partially hoped the boys wouldn’t hear, but it wasn’t one of his boys to open the door.

                “PAPA! JOHN-JOHN! ALLY!” The little girl wailed. The three males came stumbling into the foyer, rushing to see what made the girl yell.

                “Papa! That man looks like Ally! Who is he? Why does he look like Ally?” She cried into Stiles. Seeing a man so much like her brother probably confused her incredibly.

                “I’ll take her up for her nap, Papa.” John offered. John, unlike his brother and sister, had Stiles’ light brown hair but Derek’s built. He was more muscular than his older brother, but both were evenly matched in a fight. Like his brother, though, John also inherited the piercing green eyes of Derek’s, which were set into a very pointed glare towards Derek.

                “Please do, John. Thank you.” Stiles passed his little girl off to her brother and ushered them up the stairs. Meaning Derek was left looking at his mini me and his mate.

                “What are you doing here?” Stiles asked, rudely, once John and Ana were gone.

                “I wanted to come home.” Derek mumbled.

                “Really, Derek? After six years?” Derek thought it would be Stiles saying this, but the voice was different. He looked up to see Alec looking at him to answer his question.

                “What did you call me?” Derek asked.

                “I called you Derek. Now answer my damn question.” Alec ordered.

                “Alec Michael Hale-Stilinski! How dare you address your father that way! No matter what he does he is still your father! You do **not** call him by his first name under **any** circumstance!” Stiles yelled.  “And don’t get me **started** on your language, young man! You are in big trouble when we get finished here.” Alec rolled his eyes at his papa but said nothing. He simply raised his eyebrows in Derek’s direction, looking for an answer to his question.

                “Yes, I’m coming home after six years. No, I shouldn’t be allowed to come to your door like this. No, you shouldn’t accept me back right away. No, you really shouldn’t accept me back ever. But I don’t know what I was thinking, okay? When I ran away I was terrified. Alec, you and John and Ana don’t know my track record. You don’t know the kind of problems I caused in this town before you were all born. I know I’m pathetic; I don’t deserve a second chance. I don’t deserve to have my mate and my children. But I really hope that I can. At least someday. “Derek deadpanned.

                Alec looked between his fathers wondering what his dad meant. “Papa? What does he mean?” He asked finally.

                “He doesn’t mean anything. Your dad’s a martyr. Before you three were born, your dad and I and the pack went through a few years of problems with Uncle Peter, Uncle Jackson, and a druid. All of these, your dad blames himself for. Those, along with a few things from his own past. All of which he was reminded continually were not his fault. But like everyone else in this house, your dad is positively stubborn and wouldn’t believe anyone. And I’m betting no one really reminded him in the past six years, none of the problems that happened before were his fault.” Stiles told his son. Through the whole monologue, Stiles’ eyes never once left Derek’s. It’s like there was a message hidden in his speech that he wanted Derek to understand.

                Alec frowned, horribly confused. “Alec, babe, could you take your brother and sister out for a while? Get some ice cream and go bowling, yeah? Me and your dad need to talk right now and it would be best if you three weren’t here.” Stiles suggested, handing Alec forty dollars. Alec eyed the money suspiciously, but understood his papa’s wishes.

                “Alright. But call me if you need me, okay Papa?” He pressured.

                “Yes, Alec, my sixteen year old werewolf pup. I will call you if I need you. Now go get your brother and sister and go out. Or I’ll get the spray bottle.” Stiles told him, pointedly gesturing to the kitchen. Alec glared, slightly (more at the kitchen than Stiles), and rushed up the stairs. It was minutes before he had his kid brother and kid sister in tow, sliding on their jackets and heading towards the Jeep. Almost thirty years and the damn thing was still kicking. Derek was honestly surprised no one had shot it yet.

 

* * *

 

Stiles looked at Derek after the pups left, asking a silent question.

                “They just turned off the street.” Derek answered, refusing to look Stiles in the eye.

                “Good. Now I can rant without worrying about Ana hearing. First of all, yes, all three pups are wolves. They all got that gene. Second of all, thank you for leaving me with three werewolf pups alone for six years. If it weren’t for the pack, all four of us would be dead by now because they’d have gone rogue. Now, on to the real kicker. What in the fucking hell are doing back here, Derek Hale? You made it pretty fucking clear six years ago, you didn’t want to be a dad anymore. That was obvious when you left right after I put Ana to bed! So why the hell are you back? Wanna see the pack? Wanna see the town? Wanna see how much of a failure I am at trying to raise the kids **WE** created? Because, you know, being human and a father to three werewolves while still trying to help four other bitten wolves figure out what the hell is going on with them, isn’t the easiest fucking task in the damn world. And, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Peter’s a fucking blessing! He’s taught those three kids as well as your three betas and his beta how to be the amazing ass fucking weres they are today. And where the fuck were you during all of this? Cancun? Rio? Some other tropical place picking up guys left and right?” Stiles was venting everything he could think of them pissed him off over the past six years. And he would have kept going if it weren’t for Derek raising his left hand up to Stiles.

                “I never took it off. I never meant to be away so long. I was only going to visit Cora in New York for a while and try and get rid of some of my fears. But nothing worked. I told you to call me when you found the note. But you never called. So I thought you wanted me gone. I thought you were glad I was gone and you’d move on to Isaac or Scott or Jackson.” Derek told him, shyly while playing with his ring.

                “Derek, what note are you talking about? The day you left, I went bat-shit crazy looking for you. I had the betas scour the whole damn town smelling for you. But they got to the airport and they said your scent disappeared. I thought you were done with the whole family man thing. I thought you got sick of being a dad and left me. If I had known, I swear to god I would have called you the second I read it. And I would have begged you to come back.” Stiles cried. He hated to admit it, but he really did. He had hung his head and refused to make eye contact with Derek, not wanting him to see the tears marking his cheeks.

                “Alec told me in his letter he found the note. But I thought he showed you. I thought you knew where I was. And why would I want to give up my family? I lost so much of it before, why would I voluntarily loose it now? I never wanted to leave you but my fears bested me. And you really went crazy? Stiles, I can’t say I’m sorry enough. But I know the pain you went through. I can feel your pain, just like you feel mine.” Derek was about to fall to the ground in tears. Neither of them had left the foyer and it was hard to stay upright with the emotions they were projecting.

                “Let’s- um- let’s go into the living room, okay?” Stiles suggested. Derek followed obediently and sat in a lounge chair across from Stiles on the couch.

                “Alec wrote you?” Stiles asked randomly.

                “I just got it yesterday.” Derek told him. He wasn’t really sure what to say. He had never been good with words, and being with his mate didn’t make anything better.

                “You know, I found a piece of paper in his pillow case the other week when I was stripping his sheets. I thought it was something from his girlfriend, honestly. I swear he takes lessons in love from Scott. He is such a puppy when it comes to her. But I didn’t give it a second glance because I didn’t want to intrude on Alec’s life.”

                “Wow. I don’t remember you ever respecting privacy like that when we were younger. Who are you and what did you do with Stiles?” Derek joked, laughing slightly. Stiles smiled a little and looked up at Derek.

                “You know I don’t blame you right? For running? Honestly, part of me wanted to at times, too. But then I would look at the pups, and I thought about how it felt some nights when my dad wouldn’t come home from work. How terrified I was he might not come home some nights. Did I ever tell you about Lydia’s party the night she resurrected Peter?” Derek shook his head. He wasn’t sure what something from such a long time ago could possibly have to do with the current situation. “At Lydia’s party, she laced the punch with wolfsbane. It wasn’t intentional ‘cause you know, Peter was controlling her. But it made all of us, Scott, me, Jackson, and Allison, have hallucinations. And mine.. mine was my dad crashed the party. He was dressed in black and drinking. He kept yelling at me. He kept telling me I killed my mom, he got burdened with some hyper active little kid he couldn’t control. And it seemed so real. I guess I always had this fear that he really would think that one day. And he would just leave me. Or kick me out. But I was always scared he’d abandon me after my mom died. And every time I looked at the kids, that part of me that wanted to run remembered that feeling and realized how wrong it was. I knew how it felt to think your parents were going to leave you. And that wasn’t a feeling I wanted my kids to have.”

                Derek hung his head in shame thinking about Stiles’ monologue. “I guess it’s too late for that though, huh?” Derek said. Stiles cocked his head in confusion. “I already did abandon them. It wasn’t that I really wanted to, but I did. So I guess they already have that feeling.” Derek sighed. “This was a bad idea, wasn’t it? Coming home? I shouldn’t have, should I? I should have just stayed away. “ He stood quickly, and turned to the foyer, preparing to leave. “I’m sorry-“

                Stiles wasn’t ready to have Derek leave. Him coming home was the best thing that had happened to their family in the past six years. So when Derek stood to leave, Stiles jumped up. Before he could really think about what he was going to do, Stiles reached across the coffee table and pulled Derek closer, resting their foreheads together.

                “What the hell are you thinking? Leaving now… just don’t, okay? It wasn’t a bad idea coming home, I swear. Please… just stay.” Stiles moved his head to Derek’s shoulder and let out a breath. Derek turned his head so he was looking at Stiles, resting on his shoulder.

                “Stiles.” He whispered. Stiles looked up and blood rushed to his face. It was like he was sixteen again. Being this close to his mate made him nervous, but the good nervous. There were centimeters between their lips and it wouldn’t take long to close the gap. They would have, except for the loud knocking on the door, followed by it being thrown open. Derek and Stiles jumped apart, Stiles being pushed behind Derek.

                “Stttttiiiiillllleeeeeesss!” a cheery voice called through the foyer. The sound of shoes hitting the wall echoed through the noiseless living room. “Stiles? You here, man?” The person at the door, was obvious, now. Scott McCall had made a surprise visit to his still best friend’s house, most likely to rough house with the pups.

                “Hey, man, is that Derek’s Camaro out front? Do you have boy over here that you didn’t tell us you were with who drives a Camaro, too? Bro, where are you? I can heart your heart beat! Where are the pup-“ Scott raved. But when he turned the corner and saw Derek with Stiles sticking up over his shoulder he stopped. “Derek?” His disbelief soon turned to anger that poured off him. “Stiles, move. NOW.” Scott ordered. Not sure what his best friend was about to do, Stiles took a few steps away from Derek and moved back to the couch. As soon as he sat, Scott pounced, taking Derek by surprise.

                “YOU FUCKING BASTARD! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?” Scott growled while holding Derek on the ground. Derek could have easily pushed him off, but Scott had all the right in the world. And when he received no answer, Scott began pounding Derek’s face. The lasting effect wouldn’t be how Scott hoped, but before he healed, the pain would do enough.

                “SCOTT! GET THE HELL OFF OF HIM! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?” Stiles exclaimed, jumping off the couch, into Scott’s side. Lying across his friend, Stiles could see his eyes bleeding from gold to red and back as his blood pulsed.

                “Stiles, I am doing my best friend duty. This asshole hurt you beyond belief and now I’m hurting him beyond belief.” Scott explained, panting angrily.

                “Look, Scotty, as much as I appreciate that, Derek and I have already talked. And I forgive him. I understand why he left. And really, it was partly my fault he didn’t come back. So can you please come back later?” He begged his friend, not necessarily verbally, but he knew it was there in his voice.

                “Alright. Text me later when you want me to come over. Or if you need me to come over sooner. Just, keep a straight head, alright? I know what being around certain people can do to a person, human or wolf.” Scott hugged Stiles tight, with one more pointed glare to Derek and left.

                When Stiles finally got to look at Derek, he had blood stains running all the way down his chin from his nose and black circles fading from his eyes. “I’m sorry about him. I didn’t know he’d be here today, I swear. I’m sorry he hurt you.” Stiles rested his head on Derek’s chest. Derek hadn’t gotten up off the floor but did sit up after Stiles got Scott off of him.

                “It’s not your fault, Stiles. He had every right. That’s why I just took it. Because he should do that to me. I deserve it.” Derek hung his head again, knowing just how many beatings from the betas he deserved for leaving his mate and kids and pack.

                “Would you please **_stop_** being a martyr for once? It was a hell of a lot of miscommunications and fear and impulsiveness that caused these last six years. It could easily have been me in your place, alright? Just stop being so damn hard on yourself.” Once more, they were back to their foreheads resting together and Stiles' hands on both of Derek's cheeks. And this time, Derek didn’t waste any time closing the tiny distance  between them. And after six years, kissing your mate was the most uplifting, soul shocking thing he’d ever felt.

 

* * *

 

                It wasn’t long before Alec, John and Ana came home. What they weren’t expecting, though, was Derek’s car to still be in the drive and their dad and papa to be cuddling on the couch.

                “Papa?” Ana’s small voice called. Stiles smiled at the sound of his little girl and boys being home.

                “Living room, pups.” He answered. Ana, without hesitation, ran in and leaped onto Stiles and Derek’s laps. She cuddled into Stiles’ chest and looked up at Derek.

                “Papa, who’s he?” She asked innocently.

                “Ana, my dear baby sister, that is our dad. A man who left us the night you came home with Papa. “ Alec told her, venom dripping from every word.

                “Alec Michael Hale-Stilinski, young man, you are going to listen to your father speak. All three of you are. Your dad has something to say to all three of you and you will not interrupt him once. Otherwise I swear on you Uncle Peter’s slight insanity that I will have the pack push you so hard at the nest training session that you will wish Aunt Lydia never resorted Uncle Peter, got it?” Stiles ordered. Being an Alpha’s mate, Stiles had the same power in his voice Derek did. He could order the betas around just as well as Derek did.

                The three children nodded, frightened of repercussions. Uncle Peter, though much stronger after coming back from the dead, was still as insane as he was when the pack were in high school. And Crazy Uncle Peter was not a force to be reckoned with when Papa gave permission to run them into the ground.

                “First of all, I want to say I’m sorry. I know it will never be enough, no matter how many times I say it, but I am. I missed six years of all your lives because of my stupidity and a few miscommunications. I never wanted to leave you kids so long. Honestly, I didn’t. But on the note I left, I wrote for your papa to call me when he found it. I wasn’t thinking straight when I wrote it. I was terrified. I wasn’t being chased, but the thought that I could mess up and ruin you three or end up just messing up in general, scared me so bad I ran. You three don’t know that Uncle Jackson, when I first turned him, was a thing called a Kanima. It’s a thing people use for revenge. He went on a killing spree around town. And it was because I bit him. Your Uncle Peter was the Alpha before I was. And after what happened to our family, he was insane. And not the goofy, slightly creepy insane he is now. He was blood thirsty. He went on a killing spree that killed anyone who had any kind of part in the fire that killed my parents. And if I hadn’t gotten involved with Hunters, my house would have never been burned down, and no one would have died. And thinking that I could mess up again, and possibly get one or all three of you hurt, I can’t describe how much it scared me. So I ran away to Aunt Cora’s in New York. I only planned on staying for a few days, until your papa called me. But when he didn’t, my insecurities bested me and I thought he wanted me gone. So I never came back. And then, Alec, you wrote me. And I realized that I should at least try to come back. Just to see you three. And try to be a part of your life. Even if your papa had gotten someone to fill my place.” When Derek finished, Ana got out of her seat and walked over to Derek. Barely reaching his hip, she made grabby hand for him to pick her up. Obliging his daughter, he lifted her up and rested her against his side. When he did, she planted a wet kiss on his cheek and hugged his, tight as she could.

                “Welcome  home, Daddy.” She told him quietly, curling into his side. Mindlessly, she scented his shoulder while Derek looked between his boys. Matching stares met his and Derek honestly thought he had lost his boys. He thought that they wouldn’t forgive him. Until john stood and marched up to him. Wrapping his arms around Ana first, John hugged his dad closed.

                “I forgive you, Dad.” John told him. Now it was only Alec that glared at him.

                “How can you two forgive him? He left us alone for six years! You two cried yourselves to sleep for months because he was gone! So now he comes back and just says he’s sorry and you give in?! That’s bullshit! No, I don’t forgive you **_Dad_** , and I refuse to! I will **_never_** forgive you!” Alec spat, running from the room. His footsteps shook the stairs as he ran to his room, taking refuge. Stiles curled into his husband’s other side and shook his head slightly.

                “Derek, I’m so sorry. I can’t believe him. He’s the one who wrote you and got you to come home. I don’t understand.” He rambled. Derek laid his head on Stiles’ and held two of their kids even tighter.

                “Papa, Dad, what if we could get someone to talk some sense into him? I mean, Uncle Scott’s dad left when he was nine and came back when he was sixteen just for a case here. Maybe Uncle Scott could knock some sense into him.” John suggested.

                “This is how I know you’re my son.” Stiles chuckled, kissing John’s head. “Could you get him to do that?” John nodded at his papa’s request.

                “Alec trusts Uncle Scott with anything. And right now, I can tell he’d rather be anywhere than this house. So I’ll go ask him if he wants to go visit Uncle Scott for a while. He’ll jump at it, I know it.” John assured his fathers.

                “Just make sure to text Scott before you go over, alright? He obviously hasn’t grown up past sixteen and you don’t want to know that things him and Aunt Allison get into.” Derek advised.  

                “God, Dad! Images!” John laughed. And there it was, Derek felt good again. He had his mate back and two of his three kids. There was still a little misery since his oldest son wouldn’t forgive him, but he was seventy five percent of the way there. And sure, the pack will beat up on him for a while when they see him, but he knows they’ll forgive him, too.

 

* * *

 

                Like any problem, it took time for everything to settle back into place. John and Alec talked to Scott and actually stayed the night. But when they came home, Alec gave him. He missed his dad horribly and was just scared. He was terrified he’d leave again. But Derek wouldn’t. He’d never put his family through that again. 

                The first pack meeting he went to could have gone worse, too. It started with a giant puppy pile on top of Derek when they realized they weren’t all imagining him being there. Then it went to the shit getting beat out of him because of how much he hurt Stiles. But his ribs healed and so did his nose and cheeks. All in all, Derek felt like he got off too easy. He almost felt like someone should take him and Allison outside and let her shoot a few arrows laced with wolfsbane into him.

                But that was behind them now. Summer was here and it was almost time for the Fourth of July special. The group decided to have a cook out with their own firework display this year. The beaches were such a far drive and always packed. So, Peter and Scott grilled up hot dogs, hamburgers, and a few steaks. Lydia, Allison and Erica made coleslaw, potato salad, macaroni salad, and fruit salad. Isaac, Boyd and Jackson covered desserts from cobbler to cupcakes. And, since they had the biggest yard, Derek and Stiles hosted it and helped wherever needed. Really, it was the best most of the pack felt in the past six years. Everyone was home and together. And by the end of the night, Allison and Scott had their blanket, Jackson and Lydia theirs, Erica and Boyd theirs, Ana, John and Alec another, and Stiles and Derek another. They all watched in awe at the display of fireworks Peter and Isaac put together.

                Overall, it felt like the ending to a fairy tale. And no matter how cliché, they all loved it. Except when the couples all decided to share a kiss under the fireworks.


End file.
